1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to systems and methods for spooling and unspooling linear material and, in particular, to a motorized device having a controller for controlling the spooling and/or unspooling of linear material.
2. Description of the Related Art
Linear material, such as hoses, cords, cables, and the like, can be cumbersome and difficult to manage. Reels and like mechanical devices have been designed to help unspool such linear material from a rotatable spool member or a drum-like apparatus from which it can be deployed and wound upon. Some conventional devices are manually operated, requiring the user to physically rotate the spool member or drum to spool (wind in) the linear material and to pull, without any assistance, when unwinding. This can be tiresome and time-consuming for users, especially when the material is of a substantial length or is heavy, or when the drum or spool member is otherwise difficult to rotate. Other devices are motor-controlled, and can automatically wind in the linear material. These automatic devices often have a gear assembly wherein multiple revolutions of the motor produce a single revolution of the spool member or drum. For example, some conventional automatic devices have a 30:1 gear reduction, wherein 30 revolutions of the motor result in one revolution of the spool member or drum.
However, some existing methods of winding linear material have encountered problems related to winding an end portion of the linear material around a spool member, particularly when at least a portion of linear material must be wound in a vertical direction (i.e., if the spooling unit is mounted off the floor). For example, the winding of linear material can be affected by a variance in the strength of the electric motor, as well as by the ambient temperature surrounding the system, which may affect the operation of the electric motor.